


Don't You Forget About Me

by lachoy



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, human! au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-22
Updated: 2015-11-22
Packaged: 2018-05-02 21:24:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5264117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lachoy/pseuds/lachoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I don't think everybody's meant to be big.”</p><p>“You're already big. You just don't know it yet.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't You Forget About Me

**Author's Note:**

> This is a human au. So yes. That's a thing.

As a kid, he watches so much television that his parents cry it's going to rot his brain. They call him a couch potato and try every method they can to get him to stop watching so much. He's an addict. Though mostly he's addicted to the idea of being on a show on tv. As an actor on a sitcom or even a host. Anything. Some kids want to be a teacher or an artist. Mettaton can't decide on soap opera star or cooking show host.

His parents never watch with him. They don't like any of the things he does. But Napstablook watches with him. Even the shows about contests. Even if they them anxious because they are Blooky and they are the best cousin ever.

“That's what I wanna do,” he says one day, pointing to the dazzling game show host. His teeth are so white they could probably blind you and there's sequins all over his bright pink jacket. His parents would call the man tacky. Mettaton thinks he just looks amazing.

“Um, but I thought you also wanted to host a game show? Or not? I could be wrong. I'm wrong a lot.”

Mettaton shakes his head. “No I want to do that, too. And sing. And maybe also do movies.” Really he just wants to do it all. He wants to be famous and he wants everybody's eyes on him.

“That seems busy. And like a lot of work. I couldn't do that. But you probably could. You're a lot better at that stuff than me.”

“Oh, come on, Blooky! You could do a lot! You're really good at making songs up. You could do that when you grow up!”

Napstablook smiles a little, but doesn't have the chance to say anything else when Mettaton's parents come in and lecture him about sitting like a proper lady when he has a dress on. He sighs loudly and sits 'properly'. Everything about his life feels wrong. His body, his stupid small town, and even his boring old house. Things just shouldn't be like this. But then when Napstablook tells him he'd look cool in the same suit that the man is wearing on tv?

Well.

Napstablook is one right thing in his life because they will always understand.

 

\- - - -

 

At ten, Mettaton auditions for a school play. He gets a minor role and he cries outrage. He is a star! He should be THE star! And the boy playing the role of that part is awful! Nothing about this is good. The teacher tries to comfort him and says they would have given him the lead female role, but she had already given the role to another girl. Mettaton tells her that while he's sure he could probably play that role better than the girl; it isn't the role he wants. And she doesn't get it. He just keeps trying to get her to give him the lead as he gives up explaining that he doesn't want to play a girl. But no matter how much he tries to change the teacher's mind, it doesn't budge. She says it wouldn't be fair to the people she already gave the role to. But what about him? What about what's fair for him? Mettaton is stuck in a role that is much too small for his huge personality and ego. He cries about it to Napstablook after school.

“I guess it is pretty awful you couldn't get the role you want.”

“It's terrible, Blooky!” He's not even ashamed to be crying about this an hour later. “That stupid teacher doesn't know talent when she sees it!” He goes face first into Napstablook's pillow and screams. Life is the worst.

“Some people just have different ideas. Or something like that. I think. But it'll be okay. You have a small role this time, but I think you'll get bigger roles. I think you'll do something really amazing.”

Mettaton lifts his head from the pillow to look at Napstablook. They don't sound confident, but they never do. But they try for him and Mettaton gets up to hug his cousin. If anything, maybe he should try for his cousin more.

“I think we'll both do something really cool,” he says as he hugs them and he knows Napstablook is smiling. He doesn't have to look at their face to know.

Mettaton still thinks he deserves a bigger role, but he turns the small role into the best part of the show. He might not have the starring role, but he'll make this show his. Nobody will care about anybody else in this dumb play because they're all bad and he's really the only one good at acting.

That night amongst the boisterous applause (all for him obviously), Mettaton immediately picks Napstablook out of the audience and grins as he sees his quiet applause. It may not actually be the loudest, but it's the only applause Mettaton can truly hear.

 

\- - - -

 

This town is too tiny for him. He's sick of farms and he's sick of small plays. He doesn't fit here and he dreams of the city. There he could become famous and be discovered because how is he going to ever be noticed if he's stuck in Hicksville?

His parents roll their eyes every time he tries to talk about it with them.

“You have big dreams, but the world isn't that fair. You do just fine with your little plays. Be happy with that and think rationally.”

But how can he? He's sixteen and there's so much he wants to do. So much that this dinky little town can't offer a star like him. Mettaton doesn't fit here and he knows it. The drama teacher tells him all the time he has the personality to make it big. He shines and Mettaton knows he can't glow any brighter if he doesn't leave.

“If you leave I guess I won't see you again, though,” Napstablook says one day and it stops Mettaton dead in his ranting. Napstablook sees how Mettaton just stares at him and they look away. “I'm not saying I'm important enough to stick around for. I'd drag you down. I'm kind of like dead weight.” The look on Mettaton's face makes them stop that train of thought. “Oh, I should have stayed quiet...sorry...”

Napstablook's in his arms in less than a second. “I won't leave you.”

“You can if you want.”

“I don't want to.”

“Oh...”

The problem is that Mettaton doesn't want to leave Napstablook, but he doesn't want to stay here and he doesn't know if he can do them both.

 

\- - - -

 

A few months later he meets this girl a couple years older on a forum online for one of his favorite shows. Her name is Alphys and she's the biggest nerd he's ever met. She won't shut up about stupid cartoons and he could care less about them. Somehow, though, they strike up a weird friendship. Mettaton doesn't really know how, but he likes her. She reminds him a little of Napstablook and it's a good thing he has enough confidence to share because boy does she need it. She's going to college out in the city on some big science scholarship and he doesn't really get a single thing about it all, but from what she says and shows? It sounds very legitimate and she's frighteningly intelligent. If she'd believe in herself more then he thinks she could be a big name because she does have passion. A lot of it.

And it's Alphys that tells him about the school nearby that always puts on big productions. She sees auditions posted all the time for new shows of all types and ideas start forming in Mettaton's mind. Maybe this is where he should go. Alphys excitedly offers a place for him to stay if he does go out there when he graduates and this could really work. It really, really could. Research about the city shows how it's at least five times bigger than this dumb little town and there's talent agents! There's already famous people out there! Everything he reads about this city seems to feel like home, like he belongs there and he already knows his mind is made up.

He thinks about telling Napstablook, but he doesn't know how to. How do you tell someone you love that you are going to leave them?

Guilt eats at him as he takes all his money to get professional pictures taken. He monologues in front of cameras and puts together his best everything. He's dead set on going to this city and he's determined. When he wants something, he gets it and he's going to get this.

Napstablook finally asks him what he's been doing and Mettaton thinks if it had been anybody else he could have lied. But he can't lie to his cousin. Never. So he tells them. Tells them about his plans to move and how he could really be a big star. Napstablook listens and when Mettaton's done, he looks down to the ground in silence.

“I kind of knew you'd always leave.”

“Blooky...” The absolute heartbreak Mettaton feels in his cousin's voice. This is why he hadn't wanted to tell them.

“I'm not mad. I mean, I guess this makes me sad. But you can't stay for just me and I'm not just saying that. It's true.”

It isn't Napstablook's self-deprecation. It is true. Even if Mettaton stays, he won't be happy and they both know that. But that doesn't make this any less harder. His arms are around Napstablook and he holds him close.

“You know I still love you, right?”

“Yeah,” he murmurs quietly and hugs back weakly. His arms barely feel there, but Mettaton's always hugged hard enough for the both of them. “Ow...” Maybe too hard.

“Sorry, but you know how my hugs are, darling.” He laughs and when he pulls back, he puts his hands on Napstablook's cheeks and smiles sadly as he looks into their eyes. “You can be big, too, Blooky.”

“I don't think everybody's meant to be big.”

“You're already big. You just don't know it yet.”

Napstablook probably doesn't believe him, but Mettaton wants to believe they will some day.

“You won't forget me when you become famous, will you? I don't know if I would be happy. I mean, I can understand how you could. I'm just your cousin and it isn't like I'm immediate family, but oh...I think I might like a phone call sometimes...”

“How could I ever forget you?” Mettaton asks, laughing. The idea of Napstablook not being in his life seems crazy. Why wouldn't they stay? “You're being rather silly, Blooky. I couldn't forget you if I even wanted to and I don't so stop worrying.”

“Promise?”

Mettaton sighs, rolling his eyes and pulls his cousin into a hug again. This time not as hard, but gentle. Comforting. He rests his cheek against their head, their soft hair up against his cheek and Mettaton wants to remember this moment for as long as possible.

“Absolutely, positively promise.”

 


End file.
